Fountain pen construction



s w E R D N. A N

FOUNTAIN PEN CONSTRUCTION Filed June 28, 1941 pen ink container is facilitated when pen is in use,

Patented Dec. 8, 1942' UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE FOUNTAIN PEN CONSTRUCTION Anatol N. Andrews, Los Angeles, Calif. Application June 28, 1941, Serial No. 400,265

lqplaims. (c1.12o-4a) This invention relates to a fountain pen construction and has special reference to a fountain pen construction wherein air access from the open end of the pen to the closed end of the and sealed independently from the pen nib separately from the pen ink duct when" not in use.

More particularly, this invention relates to a fountain pen construction comprising a barrel enclosing an ink container and having an open end for receiving an ink feeding mechanism and a pen nib, the ink feeding mechanism having an ink duct extending longitudinally thereof and communicating between the ink container and the outer end or adjacent the pen nib, and having an air duct extending longitudinally thereof farther into the pen ink container than the ink and vice-versa to insure steady ink flow via the ink duct.

Further, it has been found by experiment that dependence for such safeguard .upon maintenance of delicate balances based upon fractions of an inch in the ducts relative diameters is entirely impractical in manufacture and hard to maintain in actuaiuse considering ink sediments which also vary dependent upon different makes of ink. It is desirable to provide an air duct relatively independent in diameter from the ink duct with-' out jeopardizing its adapted function, as for example, if the air duct communicates directly between outside air and a farther section of the pen ink container than the ink duct, such air duct, naturally, will retain its functional performance regardless of it is a fraction of an inch larger or ,srnaller in diameter. ,It is also the teaching of duct and communicating between said farther.

5 its free communication with said air.

In fountain pen constructions heretofore known, aside from mine, there are either single ducts adapted for joint ink and air passage therethrough, or a plurality of duets with separate ducts intended either for ink or air passage therewithin. Neither of those ducts extending adjacent the nib is openly exposed to communicate with outside air unshielded by the niblength, and, in plurality, extended farther into the pen ink container than another duct in the same pen. It has been found, when a plurality of ducts are of the same extension relative the 'pen ink container, the ink and air often fail to choose the intended ducts,their relative diameters notwithstanding. Thus sometimes, all

of those-ducts fill up simultaneously with ink and air which intermixing therewithin create air pockets preventing the ink passage through either of the ducts.

In certain types of pens, especially with unusually long ink ducts, all aforesaid known constructions of feeding mechanisms failed either to provide satisfactory start, or steady ink flow, or

-easy filling, or a combination thereof due to this invention to simplify construction which checks and regulates the ink flow. For instance, the ink duct may be retarded by mounting'a portion of a regular air pipe (adapted for a portion of the air duct) between tubular walls of relatively larger diameter and by adapting for a portion of the ink duct the distances between the inner walls of the larger diameter housing and the outer walls of the air pipe.v The'retardation. will increase if said portion of the air pipe is mounted in relatively diagonal or crossing dependent position.

The ink may be regulated by allowing portion of the air duct to communicate with a portion of the ink duct. Said communication may be within a tubular housing under the pen nib, the length of the latter may be provided with an outstanding edge adapted to assume dependent position against the casing edge of the housing, for instance, when part of the nib is mounted therewithin between the ink and the air ducts and when the intercommunication between the ducts thereunder is dependent upon dependent position of the nib.

The facilitation of air flow in this invention may decrease danger of pen leaking at high altitudes by allowing the excess air pressure within the pen to escape therefrom without forcing out the ink from the pen ink container. However, under normal carrying conditions such facilitation increases the danger of leaking. Therefore stance, at high altitudes.

air flow from outside of the pen to the closed Another object of this inventionis to provide a fountain pen construction in which outer walls of aportion of an air duct are surrounded'by inner r Walls of a portion of an ink duct;

Another object ofthis invention {is to provide a fountain pen construction where an ink duct and an air duct are relatively separat'i'a'nd in a relatively cross relationship.

Another object of this invention is to provide 1 a fountain pen construction where a separate air duct communicates with the pen ink container, and a middle section of the ink duct, and outside air unshielded by the pennib.

Still another object of this invention is to provide a fountain pen construction where a section of the pen nib is mounted in a sandwich-like relationship-between. plurality of separate ducts which are in communication with pen ink container.

It is one of the most important objects of this invention to provide a fountain pen construction which includes plurality of separate ducts and means to shut them off from the pen reservoir. It is also an important object of this invention to provide a fountain pen construction which includes plurality of separate ductsand means to shut them of! independently from the pen niblength.

Still another important object of this invention is to provide a fountain pen construction including means which automatically shut off a plurality of separate ducts in the pen when thepen nib is within the pen cover, and automatically release said ducts when a section of the nib is exposed for writing.

It is an important object of this invention to provide a fountain pen construction which includes plurality of separate ducts and means to shut off said ducts separately.

Another important object of this invention is to provide a fountain pen construction which includes plurality of ducts and means to shut them 011' simultaneously and independently from the pen nib-length,

Another very important object of this invention is to provide a fountain pen construction which includes a plurality of separate ducts and means to shut them off successively to allow slowing down of the ink flow to the nib by reducing the number of open ducts if required, for in- Among other objects of this invention are to provide in fountain pen constructions a duct with no airline concaved in length co-ordinately with a convexity of a'shut-ofl valve press button to avoid a valve seat misshaping a duct; to improve sealing means between separated valves and sacless ink containers; to provide a dissenting recharacteristics of this invention, reference may under Ser-.-=#35 2,-288; with. exception that here it incorporates one form. of this invention including myair and ink ducts and means to shut them of]! separately,"simultaneousy and independently 'froin'theniby Figure 2 is a longitudinal sectional view of one end of an elongated pen'section, and incorporates another form of this invention including means to shut off plurality of ducts successively.

Figure 3 is a fragmentary cross section taken on ,line 3 of Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a front view of a pen nib incorporating certain features of this invention.

Figure 5 is a fragmentary sectional view of a fountain pen section with a rubber sac for the ink container and incorporates certain other features of this invention.

Figure 6 is a fragmentary cross section taken on line 6 of Figure 5.

Figure 7 is an elevational view of one end of a fountain pen feed incorporating certain features of this invention,

As shown in the drawing:

Pen parts IB, IC, IBA, 3, 6,5,8, 1A, 13, 9A, I2, I 3, II, l4. l1 and [5 correspond numerationally, descriptively and functionally with similarly adapted pen parts shown and described in the patent application mentioned in reference to Figure 1.

In Figure 1, nut I2 is adapted for substantially the same purpose as projection l2 in my heretofore said patent application, except that its present relationship with barrel 8 simplifies pen assembling and taking the pen apart and allows more room within the pen for its ink container 4.

In Figure 1 the pen nib IB is relatively small and its air hole lCis under a cover of shovellike end-3 of air pipe 2; thisshoveblike end is lationship between opposite: walls in a pen as means to checkpenetration of excessive ink from one wall to anotherfto provide improved pen feeding constructions which are practical, easy to manufacture, and adaptable for a sacless or a sac type pen ink containers.

Further objects and advantages will hereinafter be more fully pointed out and for a more complete understanding of the nature, scope and Hi adapted for several purposes of which one is to reinforce nib IB which is further supported from the opposite side by a relatively short regular type feed IF with its channel 4F adjacent the nib IB. They are secured within one end of elongated tubular pen' section I which has its lower end mounted into the upper end of pen barrel .8. A relatively short rubber sac I5 is secured over the lower open end of barrel 8. A sac compressor HA is movably secured over sac I; in an opening in the cap 14 and may be constructed, for instance; as shown within the scope of claim 4 of my U. S. Patent #2,217,884.

Within section I are the hollowed and elongated tubular space 4E and the relatively short tubular space 43, both of relatively larger diameter than air pipes 2 and 2A, and separated by the middle portion of the section. In said middle portion there are two separate valve seats, one under press button IC, and the other underbutton IA. A relatively short rubber band 113 'is'mounted ring-like around that middle portion of section I and'thevalveseats and is secured in the illustrated band seat provided in the section i, and said band separates and seals each valve seat from the other and both from each and all of thepress buttons.

Valve seat unden button 10 is connected with space E by a relatively narrow passage 30 within walls of section I, and with space 63 by a similar passage 3D. I

Valve seat under button IA is similarly connected withs'pace tE by a separate passage 4D, and with space QB by passage 4C. One end of air pipe 27A is secured in the passage 3D, and the other end faces space tA walled by sac I5.

Lower end of air pipe .2 is mounted into passage 3C and faces valve seat under button 10. Thus when said valve seat is unlocked as shown a continuous and longitudinally relatively separated duct 3B; 3D, 30 and 3A;is formed throughcent nib IB via the open andunshielded end of the shovel-like end 3 of pipe 2, and at the other end extended farther into. the pen ink container 4 than any other duct in the pen, and faces the air compartment 6A formed naturally within the pen when the latter is held in writing position;

This duct regardless of its relative diameter naturally will become the air duct because air travels via easiest resistance to least resisting section of the ink container and it is evident that when pen is held in writing position the air from outside will travel exclusively via described duct to the air compartment 6A as long as there is any ink left in container &. The ink from container 4 thus freed from incoming air resistance and with capillary action weakened by described air duct will flow freely to the nib IB via margin space in GB, passage 60, unlocked valve seatunder button 7A, passage 4D, margin space in 4E and feed channel t-F, thus forming an exclusive ink duct separated from and related to the air duct as explained and illustrated.

When upper end of pen section I is projected through opening I85 in the slidable cap It (as shown in Figure l) the funnel-like formation IBB in the casing of opening IBA may be provided to form a dissenting relationship between the outer walls of said end and the inner walls These buttons are movably held in openings in barrel 8. The openings, specifically their casings,

-wall thickness and the walls oisection I restrict .mobility of the buttons to'perpendicular in relaout relatively entire length of the; pen having I access at one end thereof to the outside air adiation to barrel 8. v j When slidable cap 18 is pulled forward cylin- Yder 9A secured thereto and projected to barrel 8 williollow the cap movement and thus will depress buttons 1C and lAinto their respective valve seats. .Depressed button IC will shut off their the airiduct and depressed button IA will shut off the link duct.

Simultaneous shutting off of both ducts may be achieved, for instance, as illustrated in Figure l where the respective valve seats of each duct are relatively opposite. To shut ofi the ducts successively the relative location of valve seats may be changed, for instance, as illustrated in Figure 2. In the latter button 10 is shown depressed by the edge of cylinderSA indicated by punctured lines, while button IA and the valve seat thereunder are not depressed because their relative location is such that the indicated edge of cylinder 9A is still removed there from while it is already over the button 10.

Evidently further forward movement of indicated cylinder 9A would bringsaid cylinder eventually into contact and over button IA depressing the latter too into the valve seat thereunder and of said casing to allow certain distance between the upper edges thereof without general enlargement of opening I8A. Said distance is adapted to keep ink from getting to the upper edges of cap I8 from over the end of section I where ink may accumulate while. the pen is held in writing position. The aforesaid dissenting relationship, 0 course, may be achieved through other means, for instance, by tapering the Outer walls of the upper end of section I, which, however, not a1- ways may be advisable, especially if said walls are relatively thin. To retard the ink duct and regulate further the functions oi my feeding mechanism without jeopardizing other impor- Pen nib IB (Fig. e) may be provided with extending edges EH adapted to assume dependent position against wail edges ei the end of section I (Fig. 3) to hold nib iB in dependent position shown in Figure 1, Security of nib EB and feed I? in their shown dependent positions allows the aforesaid intercommunication oi ducts thereunthus completingthe shutting off of both ducts. Circular groove I8C repeated-along the length of the outer walls of the pen may be provided for better grip in handling a pen especially with a slidable cap. "Said grooves, of course, may'beof different shapes and relative arrangements, for

instance, as shown in Figure l," orasshown in my 'U. S. DesignPatent #D-1l2,401. I

Circularly concaved grooves IE in the outer.

wall oithe lower end of section I (Figures 2 and 1) may be provided to improve the sealing of valve buttons 'IAand IC (Fig. 1) from ink in container 4. fI o increase'their ink penetrating resistance saidgroovesmay be filled either with air or awaxy or greasy substance.

Rubber sac ISA (Figure 5) may be adapted as,

direct ink container.

Sections I lower end may be shortened as shown. Upper end 01' a plug (a feed) IL may be mounted therein. Since there is no need for air lines in the feed duct, there is no absolute necessity for walls thereof to be of one shape and a valve seat therein oi? another shape. Therefore feed duct IM in the plug IL has no air line and concaved in length co-ordinately with the convexity of indicated press button IA thus allowing any section of said duct-to serve as a valve seat for said button and making the duct unit adaptable for pens witha simultaneous or a successive shut-on for separate air and ink feed ducts. Sac ISA may be mounted as shown over lower end of section I. The co-ordinated shape of duct IM is further illustrated in Figures 6 and 7.

While specific embodiments of this invention are herein shown and described, it is and will be clearly understood, of course, that broad varia time within the scope of accompanying claims may be resorted to without jeopardizing this potent protection, and thatthe various details of constructions may be varied through a wide range without departing from the principles of this invention as described in one or more of following claims, and it is therefore not the purpose to limit the patent granted hereon otherwise than necessitated by'the said scopeof the appended claims. I

I claim as my invention:

1. A fountain pen comprising abarrel, a slid- I able cap, a pen section with ink duct and air tube in longitudinal relationship therewithin, the ink duct and air tube having separate valve seatssealed under relatively flexible and relatively resilient material nonengageable against each other, separate press buttons movably held over each valve seat respectively and engageable thereagainst by the slidable cap.

2. The same as in claim 1 and one press button nearer to the pen writing end than the other press button.

3. The same, as in claim 1 and one valve seat nearer to the writing and of the pen than the other valve seat.

4. A fountain pen comprising in combination an elongated tubular housing with a plurality of separate tubular and elongated ink containers therewithin which areflongitudinally successive and are walled from each other, and the wall which separates said successive ink containers having a plurality of separate ducts longitudinally therethrough.

5. The same as in claim 4 and a shut-off valve 1 engageable against a duct in the wall which separates two successive ink containers.

5. The same as in claim 4 and a shut-oil mechanism engageable against plurality of ducts,

in the wall which separates two successive ink containers.

7. The same as in claim 4 and a duct in saidwall adapted as an air duct and extended longitudinally relatively far .into adjacent ink conwithin the respective and separate ink containers and communicative with each other by means of a duct through the wall which separates said ink containers, and said duct adapted as an air duct; and another duct through said wall adapted as an ink duct.

9. In a fountain pen a continuous liquid valve adapted to ease the start of ink flow and comprising an .air tube extended from outside and over the pen nib and into the pen ink container, which tube has a side section thereof removed under the inner end of the nib within the pen to allow said tube therein to communicate via ink duct thereunder cause ink therefrom to enter the tube and shutoff its thorough air-duct function when, because of the latter, the flow of ink becomes excessive, and to cause the ink from the tube to flow back into the ink duct before said ink reaches the nib and when said liquid shut-on in the tube becomes gradually released through medium oi writing motions.

10. In a fountain pen with a slidable cap and a sideway extending shut on. valve, a removable pen feed of relatively hard material with a nontubular and fully exposed feed channel when the feed is removed from a tubular casing, and a relatively extended length of said channel shaped coordinately with the side of a shut off press button which faces said length when the button is set in the pen stationary casing, and one end of the feed is removably mounted into a tubular pen section which is stationary set in one end of the pen barrel when the pen is assembled, and the' other end of the feed with the coordinated channel is'extended below the inner end of the pen section and is insulated from the press button thereabove by a tubular housing of relatively soft, flexible and resilient material which is mounted over the inner end of the section and the extended length of the feed, and the coorditainer by means of relatively narrow and relatively long tubular housing adapted as an air p pe.

8. The same as in claim 4' and a plurality of air tubes mounted successively and longitudinally nated extended length of the feed channel is adapted as an extended valve seat to allow any part of said extended length to form a valve seat when it is under the pressure of the press button effected by the slidable cap.

ANATOL N. ANDREWS.

with the pen ink container to 

